Yet another animated version of a much-loved franchise piques curiosity about what new the filmmakers could have to offer. And then director Jeff Rowe unleashes a vibrant package with slick action sequences and hilarity to keep you hooked and giggling. The film takes one through the origins of the Turtle brothers and their adoptive rat mutant father, Splinter (Jackie Chan), and the adventure they are on. While helping their new human friend and an aspiring journalist, April O’Neil (Ayo Ediberi), Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), Raphael (Brady Noon), Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), and Donatello (Micah Abbey) try to take down a crime syndicate and its leader, Superfly (Ice Cube) who was created by a rogue scientist, Baxter Stockman (Giancarlo Esposito). Superfly has a machine that will mutate every animal and destroy humans, and the Turtles must stop him. While the main plot is nothing novel, the treatment makes up for it. The battalion of Superfly’s hench-mutants — rhinoceros Rocksteady (John Cena), warthog Bebop (Seth Rogan), gecko Mondo Gecko (Paul Rudd), manta ray Ray Fillet (Post Malone), alligator Leatherhead (Rose Byrne), and bat Wingnut (Natasia Demetriou) are superbly created with sketch-like features and incredible detailing. Superfly and the gang’s introduction scene is a thorough visual delight, made better by the interactions between all the mutants. All the action sequences combined with the music take the viewers on a psychedelic trip, with a riot of neon colours glowing against a dark background. The film’s standout moments include Superfly turning into a kaiju and seeing Splinter in action when he comes to save his sons at the evil Cynthia Utrom’s (Maya Rudolph) facility when she wants to ‘milk’ the Turtles to create Snakeman, Dolphinman, and Eagleman. Besides the visual appeal, the voice acting is a winner here. Ice Cube’s curious blend of coolth and dread, Jackie Chan as the world-weary rat mutant distrusting of humans, and Paul Rudd as the gecko shine. Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, Shamon Brown Jr., and Micah Abbey also get their turns as Turtles perfectly, especially when placed in the modern New York milieu. Although replete with funny one-liners, some things get over-the-top, such as the ‘milking’ joke, which essentially means humans draining the Turtles’ blood to create mutants. As the favourite foursome and other mutants will delight one with their antics, the visuals and how well the music has been used will leave the viewers awestruck. This one will be best enjoyed on the big screen and is an entertainer for all age groups.Read more

It’s nostalgia galore in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ where we meet four chaotic ninja turtles again onscreen after 2014. For loyal fans of the comic book series which has been around since the 1980s, this rendezvous with the ninja turtles is all things fun and a welcome trip down memory lane. With the use of animated live doodles and scribbles, which might be a stark reminder of your art period in school, the film retains a lot of the authenticity and naivety needed to pull off a project like this. It is a sweet reminder of the days gone by, which we perhaps speak of in the past tense. But the film isn’t dated at all! If anything, the Ninja turtles are very ‘Gen Z’ trained and aren’t disconnected from the digital age. Before the mayhem, the film reminds us of the four little turtles who get transformed into mutants after coming in contact with radioactive ooze. They are adopted by a RatMan named Splinter (voiced by Jackie Chan), who gives them a masterclass in ninja. Oh, the parallels! Coming back to the turtles, now all teenagers dream of a normal life where they co-exist with humans. Hence, Raphael (Brady Noon), Doofy Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), nerdy Donatello (Micah Abbey) and their leader, Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), meet a human friend, also a student journalist named April (Ayo Edebiri). As the threat looms over New York with another mutant creature, Superfly (Ice Cube), the cute little turtles and April join hands to save New York and turn heroes to be accepted, in turn causing mayhem (or not, really!). The film is high on pop culture references and does not shy away from poking fun at itself. It doesn’t take itself seriously. From the teenage turtles speaking about sneaking off to an Adele concert to watching 'Avengers Endgame', to anime references and Beyoncé songs, there is enough for the Internet Age. There is also a BTS’ Butter reference, which is hell ‘smooth!’ The turtles might have lived in sewers but the Wi-Fi reaches even there! The casting is perhaps the biggest highlight of the movie. With Paul Rudd, Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen, John Cena, Hannibal Buress and Post Malone, the film boasts of talented actors who give various colours to the mutants and leave you smiling and laughing. Their overall synergy works extremely well, sometimes even more than the ninja turtles themselves. Jackie Chan is glorious as RatMan. The music of the film is on-point and adds to the overall experience of watching the animated version. Its heart lies in the camaraderie between all the turtles when they speak about their dreams and normalcy. Jeff Rowe makes sure to leave you with chuckles even in fight scenes, giving enough moments for everyone to share a burst of laughter. But it gets tiring after a point. The film tries to ‘milk’ too much of the cool lingo. The film, despite its best intentions, has no novelty in the story. It is the same tried and tested formula. The characters are too simplistic with almost no big conflict explored. There are hardly any high points in the movie, which remains more or less one-tonal. The messaging of the film and the climax are unimaginatively crafted. ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ gives you all the right ‘vibes’ but reels under the Gen-Z crisis (Millennial-Gen Z), trying to figure out how much of cool is ‘too cool!’Read more